S057: Making Data Count

*Lottery Enrollment Course* Data can be a compelling inspiration and guide for action in education. But too often the power of data is lost because we ask the wrong questions, share facts instead of stories, ignore or misuse existing research, or work within an organizational culture that doesn’t promote learning. In this course, students will learn how to address all of these challenges. They will learn how to use theories of action to develop strong research questions about diagnosis, implementation, and impact; how to tell a verbal and visual story with data; how to frame numbers to inspire change; and how to strengthen the conditions for learning in organizations. This course complements introductory and advanced statistics courses by building skills in communicating with data and applying it to social challenges. It is appropriate for students who anticipate doing analytical or organizational improvement work in future roles or who will manage or lead such staff.